Madison Electric Works is now offering
Electric Thermal Storage (ETS) heating systems
What is ETS?
Electric Thermal Storage (ETS) is a well-established heating technology that is widely used in Europe and North America. ETS units convert lower cost “off-peak” electricity into heat which is stored in dense, ceramic bricks. The bricks are enclosed in a super-insulated metal cabinet which also houses the unit’s digital controls, blower motor, and heat exchanger, where applicable. The stored heat is withdrawn from the unit as needed throughout the daytime and nighttime hours to heat homes and businesses. ETS units come in a variety of sizes from small to large room units, whole-house “furnaces” for central heating, and even bigger units that can heat large office buildings.
Trained electricians or plumbers carry out the installations to ensure safety. For more information, please call Marty Berry at Madison Electric Works at (207) 696-4401 or visit Campbell’s Building Supply in Madison.
Power is cheaper when
demand is low.
Electricity is more expensive during “peak hours” of the day when demand is highest. Conversely, power typically costs much less during off-peak hours due to lower demand. Taking advantage of this, Madison Electric Works has arranged an off-peak electric supply that allows it to offer MEW customers low-cost, off-peak “heating power” at less than seven cents per kilowatt-hour for space and water heating. Customers can lock in the seven-cent heating power rate through December 31, 2013, and can use the heating power for charging ETS space heating units or water heaters.
How does heating power at seven cents compare with oil heat?
Assuming a typical oil-burner’s seasonal efficiency of about 72%, buying heating power at seven cents per kWh is comparable to buying heating oil at around $2.20/gallon. And remember, customers can lock in the seven-cent heating power rate for two and a half years (through December 31, 2013). Heating power customers will also save on maintenance costs, since ETS units are essentially maintenance-free.
Where can I see what an electric thermal storage (ETS) heater actually looks like?
Feel free to stop by MEW’s offices where we have a Steffes ETS heater installed in our lobby. (Steffes, located in Dickinson, ND, is the sole North American manufacturer of ETS heating equipment.) Campbell’s Building Supply in Madison is your authorized Steffes dealer. They have a unit on the floor along with brochures and literature for you to look over. (In addition, a small plug-in model is on display at the Franklin-Somerset Federal Credit Union at 20 Main Street in Madison).
Is financing available if I decide to
buy and install an ETS heater?
Yes, the Franklin-Somerset Federal Credit Union has established a simplified Energy Improvement loan program specifically to help customers make energy improvements to their homes, including the purchase and installation of ETS equipment. For more information on this program, please call the Credit Union at (207) 696-3691, or go to their website, www.f-sfcu.com.
Tell me more about how ETS heaters work.
Madison Electric Works will install a second meter on your home or business to meter off-peak heating power deliveries. Your ETS unit will be equipped with a high-tech solid state control system to ensure that heating power deliveries occur only during the off-peak hours. An outside temperature sensor automatically tells the unit how much to charge every night, and a built-in thermostat allow you to easily maintain a desired room temperature. The ETS unit’s heating elements convert the electricity to heat which is stored in the unit’s high density ceramic bricks. The bricks are surrounded by high efficiency insulation which allows them to hold great amounts of heat for long periods of time. In room units, the thermostatically-controlled fan evenly and quietly distributes warm air through the day and night at the desired comfort level. “Whole house” units can be tied in to your existing circulating hot water or forced hot air heat distribution system.
A large room unit will allow most homeowners to displace about 60% of their heating oil usage with lower cost heating power. A whole house unit can completely replace an existing oil system.
In a domestic hot water heating application, the ETS unit controls the power delivered to your electric water heater so as to restrict deliveries to off-peak hours. The deliveries are metered through the same heating power meter as the ETS unit, and are billed at the same low rate.
Let’s get off of oil.
More than 7 out of 10 Maine residents currently heat their homes with fuel oil. This is an increasingly costly fuel, much of it coming from parts of the world with significant political instability and hence, price volatility.
Electric thermal storage (ETS) offers an opportunity to take advantage of a more affordable, stable and cleaner source of heating energy—off-peak electricity.
